Chapter 24 #2
Rufus, with his smooshed white face, stares intently at me with yellow eyes. Coral, a sweet little ginger girl, stands like him, her amber eyes wide with excitement.
“I missed it here,” I sigh.
“Okay, but how was it?” Maeve asks as I head to the empty desk chair. She follows me, leaning against the counter. “Was it amazing?”
I smile. “Yes, Maeve.”
“What did they feed you? Did they buy you presents? What did you do?”
“What do you think they did, Maeve?” Piper asks. “Play board games all day?”
“Actually, we played a considerable amount of video games when I wasn’t…uh…occupied,” I murmur.
“Really?” Piper asks gently. “They got you into gaming again?”
I shrug and turn to her. “A little bit.”
She smiles softly. “Good.”
“Okay, but what about the blankets?” Maeve continues. “And your nest? And did they do your laundry for you? What did they cook you?”
“Maeve, I swear to god, if you keep asking me questions—”
“I’ve been waiting for this since I’ve known you!” Maeve argues. “You look the happiest I’ve ever seen you, so forgive me if I want to know all the details!”
Alvin hops onto my keyboard, entering a jumble of different letters into the web browser. I gently pluck him off. “Really?” I ask. “I look happy?”
“You’re glowing,” Maeve beams. “Even when you’re not smiling, it’s like you’re smiling anyway, you know?”
As if the wall behind my eyes is finally down, like Rowan said.
“Blair!” Mari’s voice sounds from behind me. “You’re back!”
I stand and she pulls me into a hug, and I brace for the onslaught of questions she’s about to ask me. Instead, she whispers in my ear, “Maeve has a suitor.”
I wrinkle my nose. “Huh?”
“The new vet tech at the clinic. He likes her.”
“I didn’t realize I missed so much being away,” I mutter. Maeve has started chatting with Piper, and Mari motions for me to walk away from the desk and into the stockroom.
“Let me see you,” she says once we’re out of sight of my friends. She takes my hands and smiles. “Honey, you look so happy.”
And maybe because I’m still a little loopy from my Heat, I smile back.
“I am happy. I really am, Mari.”
“Well, good. Now I don’t have to worry about finding you a pack.” She sighs and presses a hand to her heart. “Now, we worry about Maeve.”
“Mari,” I chuckle. “You don’t need to play matchmaker. Maeve is happy with or without Alphas.”
Mari’s lips thin. “I know that,” she says softly. “But…just let a gal live a little, okay? My time has come and gone. Let me worry about you three.”
I furrow my brow. “Okay, we need to put a pin in that. Your time has not come and gone.”
Her eyes grow misty. “Yes, it has, sweetie.” She pats me on the shoulder. “And that’s okay. I’m going to be an old cat lady, but I’ll have my girls with me. And my cats.”
“Mari, no. That is a ridiculous way to think,” I argue. “You are not old—”
“Hey, Blair! Can you sign for this order?” Maeve interrupts, and I point my finger at Mari. “This conversation is not over,” I say. “We’re discussing this later.”
Mari laughs softly. “Sure, kiddo.”
But when I go to finish my conversation with Mari after restocking the cat food pantry, she’s nowhere to be found.
The pack is late picking me up.
Travis sent a text that they were on their way half an hour ago, and I try to ignore the irrational fear that burns in my chest.
“Maybe there’s traffic,” Piper says calmly. “Also, it’s raining. You know how people drive in the rain.”
“Uh-huh.”
I busy myself with organizing the paperwork from our recent adoptions.
There is absolutely nothing to be worried about.
Normally, the ride from the packhouse to the rescue is only fifteen minutes, but if they hit every red light and are behind a slow driver, it would make sense that they’re not here yet.
And the weather is bad.
Not as bad as the storm from the other week, and certainly not as bad as what happened two years ago, but it’s still not ideal.
“Just call them,” Piper adds from her computer.
“No. Not if they’re driving.”
Paperwork organized, I move on to folding up all the gorgeous donated blankets.
I run my finger over the stitching, wondering who the anonymous donor could be.
Another fifteen minutes pass, and my knuckles are white from gripping the front counter. I pretend to be fine, leaning against the reception area, but Piper notices the way my hands are clenched.
“If you don’t call them, I will,” she says. “Just to check. Blair-bear, I’m sure there’s traffic or something.”
“Maybe they’re stopping to buy you a present first,” Maeve adds sweetly. She’s perched on the counter with a clipboard, updating our inventory. “This is your first dinner all together, right?”
I nod. “Yeah,” I croak.
I’m being irrational.
Everything is fine.
They’re safe.
“I’ll call them if they don’t show up in like, twenty minutes,” I acquiesce. “They’re probably stuck in traffic.”
But unless that traffic is a semi-truck on fire in the middle of the freeway, there’s something else holding them up.
“This is ridiculous,” I snarl, shaking my hands and trying to release the tension in my body. “I’m being ridiculous. I need to snap out of this.”
“One of them was probably running late,” Piper says.
I snort. “Probably Rowan,” I say weakly.
My reaction is not normal.
Normal people don’t lose their minds when someone is late to pick them up.
Normal people don’t assume the worst.
But the twenty minutes comes and goes, and there’s no sign of the pack.
Finally, I call them.
Piper and Maeve pretend not to watch me while I pace across the cat playroom, trying Travis’ number.
He doesn’t answer.
Neither do Ryland or Rowan.
Pure panic, paralyzing fear, and nausea wrack my body.
“They’re not answering,” I choke out, bursting through the door to the reception area.
Piper nods calmly. “Okay. We wait a little bit then try again.”
“There’s a section of the freeway where I always lose signal,” Maeve adds. “That could be it.”
By now, they’re an hour late picking me up.
I can’t help but compare what’s happening right now to two years ago.
Justin promised me they would text when they got home.
But he never texted me.
Neither did Aaron or Cody.
Damn it. This is not the same thing.
This is not the same thing.
Suddenly, Piper is in front of me, her eyes swimming with concern.
“Blair,” she says softly, “breathe. Inhale and count to four.”
She does it with me.
“Exhale, and count to four.”
I repeat the process, and Piper gently takes my face in her hands.
“This is not the same thing,” she says quietly. “You’re right.”
I must have been speaking out loud, earlier.
“We’re going to find out where they are, and exactly what the fuck is going on, though. No one stands up my bestie,” she says, nodding. “Alright?”
I nod weakly. “I’m sorry.”
“Nope. We’re not doing that,” Piper says. “You’ve taken care of me and been there for me every time I spiraled. It’s time I return the favor. We’re going to figure out what happened, alright? We’re going to get ahold of them.”
“I’m scared,” I whisper shamefully.
My reaction is embarrassing, and I’m glad only Maeve and Piper know why I’m so upset.
How do you explain that you’re having a breakdown because your pack is late to pick you up?
How can I look anything but ridiculous?
I’m pathetic.
Hardly good girlfriend material.
What will the Alphas they say when they finally pick me up?
I already embarrassed myself once in front of them by freaking out in their driveway and knocking over their trashcans.
And now, I’m worked up because they’re late.
“I would be scared, too,” Piper says. “Your reaction is completely valid, Blair.”
“You’re just saying that because you have to,” I say, my voice breaking. “This…I’m not…I can’t do this.”
The panic is too much.
Just the mere thought that I could potentially lose someone again makes my chest ache.
Rowan had said my walls were coming down, but they were there for a damn good reason.
I want them back. I want them back.
Maeve comes from behind the desk, Alvin gathered in her arms. She hands him to me wordlessly, and I cuddle the massive tabby boy, burying my face in his belly and listening to his purr.
“Huffing cats is good for you,” she says softly, and before I can ask her to elaborate, my phone buzzes in my pocket.
Shifting Alvin to one shoulder, relief floods me when I see Ryland’s name on the screen.
“Hello?” I breathe, my heart still racing.
“Hey, babe,” Ryland says, his voice muffled by the wind. “So…uh…can we reschedule?” his laugh is short and humorless. There’s shouting in the background, and I recognize the distressed voices as belonging to Rowan and Travis.
“What happened?” I ask, while Maeve and Piper watch my face carefully.
“Not much,” Ryland says breathlessly. The wind roars and the voices in the background grow soft. “We just got into a minor issue with the car. It’s not a big deal; we’re okay.”
“A minor issue?” I repeat. Piper and Maeve frown.
“Yeah, but don’t worry. Everything is fine, babe. We don’t want you to worry.”
“You…” I swallow. “You got into an accident?”
“Very minor,” he continues, and I can hear the smile in his voice. “But it’s going to take a minute to figure everything out. We’re fine though, everyone is fine.”
My throat tightens. “What happened?”
“Rowan swerved to get out of the way of a squirrel,” Ryland continues. “It didn’t go as planned.”
The way Ryland is speaking sounds off.
“Where are you?” I demand. “I’m coming to see you.”
There is silence on the other end, except for the wind. “You don’t have to do that, sweetheart. We can just see you tomorrow,” he says eventually.
“Ryland. No,” my voice wobbles. “I want to see the three of you. Please.”
More wind, and voices in the background. I can’t make out any words except one.
Ambulance.
“Is an ambulance coming?” I whisper. Piper’s eyes widen.
“Some bystanders are saying we should. But just as a precaution. Everyone is okay,” Ryland adds hurriedly.
I can’t breathe.
Piper watches me closely, then gently plucks the phone from my hand.
Alvin nuzzles into me as Piper speaks to Ryland.
“Hey. It’s Piper. Tell me where you are, right now,” she says evenly.
Maeve watches me with pity in her eyes, and I want to die of shame.
When Piper ends the call, she hands the phone back to me.
“Do you want to go see them and wait until the tow truck arrives?” she asks me gently. “Or do you want to wait until tomorrow?”
“They just got into an accident. I want to see them,” I stammer.
They’re alive.
I need to be supportive.
But part of me doesn’t want to go.
Part of me wants to hide in my apartment with Mervin and Marlin and close off from the world.
“They got into an accident, but they’re all walking around and talking,” Piper continues. “It was minor. I promise.”
I nod but can’t take her words to heart.
It’s happening again.
Another accident, and because of me.
You caused this.
You did this.
I hand Alvin to Maeve, who bites her lip as she looks at me.
“Blair—”
“I’ll be fine,” I snap to her, and she flinches. “I am fine.”
My inner Omega spirals, terrified and heartbroken that her scent matches were in peril.
“Get your stuff,” Piper says, “and let’s go.”
Ice runs through my veins, and my limbs are too heavy to move.
I swallow. “Piper…”
My best friend wraps an arm around my shoulder. “Are you okay locking up, Maeve?” Piper asks.
I’m cold.
“Of course. Text me if I can do anything,” Maeve says softly.
“Grab her purse.”
Piper pretends not to see the tears that trail down my cheeks as she leads me to her car.
“We don’t have to go,” she says softly.
I shake my head. “I want to see them. I need to.”
What kind of person would I be, if I didn’t?
“Ryland said they’re not injured at all,” Piper adds. “I don’t want this to trigger you or scare you.”
I am fucking pathetic.
So, so pathetic.
“Just take me to them, please.”
But the entire ride, shame consumes me.
Pathetic.
Childish.
Coward.
And by the time we reach the scene of the accident, I go numb.